Fall 2019 Issue 11

SEE PRISM INSERT Thursday, October 3, 2019 | Vol. XCVI, Issue 11 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

BU gives Zoning proposal targets off-campus housing survey on tobacco policy Questions aim to gauge reaction to campus initiative Leora Schwadron & Lily Kolb pipe dream news

Depending on the results of a new survey designed to evaluate campus feedback to the Binghamton University’s Tobacco-Free Campus Initiative, the current policy may be going up in smoke.

The survey, which was released on Wednesday, includes questions designed to gauge students’ and faculty’s reaction to the current policy, which mandates a completely tobacco-free campus.

According to the University’s website, this means that no tobacco use is allowed on any BU-owned, operated or leased property. In this case, “tobacco” encompasses cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery systems, including electronic cigarettes and a variety of other products.

The policy aims to promote a healthy and productive environment for all, according to the University’s website.

“One of Binghamton University’s goals

see tobacco page 3

jo myers pipe dream illustrator

Zoning law overhaul adds restrictions in residential areas Sasha Hupka editor-in-chief

A proposed update to Binghamton’s zoning laws aims to address concerns about parking and neighborhood character, but could also heavily impact off-campus student housing, particularly in residential areas of the city.

The sweeping changes include a measure that would ban new construction or conversions that would

result in a single-family house having more than four bedrooms. The law would create a new classification, “congregate living,” which would allow some houses in certain residential areas to have up to 10 bedrooms, but to take advantage of the code, landlords would need to get special permits and deal with increased requirements for large, multi-bedroom homes.

Deputy Mayor Jared Kraham said the changes are intended to provide needed updates to Binghamton’s zoning laws, which were last revised in 2011 and were fully overhauled in 2006. This time around, officials in the mayor’s office and

Planning Commission aimed to target “burdensome” and “loose” regulations.

“These more-than-four bedroom units, most of which are the result of likely illegal conversions on the West Side, result in the destruction of single-family homes and it makes it difficult to sell them again,” Kraham said. “Right now, there’s very little the city can do to regulate them because of the way the zoning law is written.”

Binghamton’s West Side, a heavily student-populated area of the city, would be strongly impacted by the changes.

Under Binghamton’s current zoning

classifications, congregate living units would be permitted in areas east of Oak Street, but on several other streets popular with student renters, including Murray Street, Chapin Street and Chestnut Street, the construction or conversion of houses with more than four to five bedrooms would be banned. Drafts of the proposed changes cite “adverse impacts to parking, open space and neighborhood character” as the driving force behind the proposal.

Council member Dan Livingston, who represents Binghamton’s second

see zoning page 2

Santiago-Hudson discusses representation Club aims to prevent gun violence Alumnus discusses role of marginalized groups in media Krishna Patel

arts & culture intern

In a guided conversation with an audience of students and community members on Wednesday, Elizabeth Chilton, dean of Harpur College, Sharon Ball, former executive director of the Broome County Arts Council and

alumnus, playwright, director and actor Ruben Santiago-Hudson, discussed Santiago-Hudson’s time at Binghamton University, navigating life and portrayals of minorities — particularly African Americans — in the media and entertainment industry.

Born in Lackawanna, New York, south of Buffalo, Santiago-Hudson discussed his upbringing and how it inspired his play, “Lackawanna Blues.” He said he sought to portray black characters as complex, multifaceted, relatable and

completely human.

“There is a demand for cohesiveness in America, to find a way to bridge this gap between people,” Santiago-Hudson said. “We’ve always had our stereotypes, racism and prejudices. Now there’s this demand to know about each other. It’s a curiosity that becomes a love. They discover themselves in these plays even if they’ve never met a black person before or rode in a Jitney or eaten at a black restaurant.”

Shortly after, the conversation

shifted from black characters to finding one’s path in the entertainment industry as a minority.

“Theater owners and directors will come across seats to shake my hand and say ‘Hey, it’s good to see you,’” SantiagoHudson said. “In the back of my mind, I think, ‘I’ve had 15 meetings with you about putting a black play in one of your theaters.’ I have to take that thing that intimidates them off of them for a second

see talk page 5

Tercero murder trial begins in Nicaragua Prosecutors say jealousy was motive in Anderson strangling Sasha Hupka editor-in-chief

Orlando Tercero appeared in Nicaraguan court on Tuesday to be tried for the murder of Binghamton University nursing student Haley Anderson.

Several witnesses, including Anderson’s mother and classmates, testified against Tercero during the first day of his trial through a livestream set up in the Broome County District Attorney’s Office, making use of an interpreter to translate their testimony into Spanish. Nicaraguan prosecutors used their testimony to build a motive against Tercero, who they say killed Anderson out of jealousy after she ended their relationship.

Tercero is accused of strangling Anderson, 22, of Westbury, New York, in his Oak Street student residence on Binghamton’s West Side. Anderson’s body was discovered on March 9, 2018 after police responded to a welfare check.

see trial page 3

provided by nicaragua national police Former BU student Orlando Tercero is suspected of strangling senior Haley Anderson and was apprehended in Nicaragua in March 2018.

ARTS & CULTURE

OPINIONS

March for Our Lives aims to inform students on legislation Valerie Puma

assistant news editor

Gearing up for local elections in November, the Binghamton University chapter of March for Our Lives (MFOL) held a general body meeting to discuss gun violence prevention and the importance of researching candidates’ stances on such policies.

The meeting, held Wednesday night in the University Union, tied in with the national organization’s mission to “harness the power of young people across the country to fight for sensible gun violence prevention policies that save lives,” according to their official website. The MFOL E-Board led the meeting using a PowerPoint presentation titled “How to be a gun sense voter” and gave tips on how to look out for the candidates and policies individual voters want representing them, particularly when it comes to preventing gun violence across the nation.

Jasmine Baez, organizing coordinator for the BU chapter of MFOL and a sophomore majoring in psychology, said she thinks learning how to be a “gun sense voter,” meaning someone who votes for and supports candidates who advocate for gun violence prevention in

see violence page 3

SPORTS

Pop-up bake shop De Colores Cookies y Mas comes to Leroy Street,

Check out our roundup of October’s First Friday offerings,

Columnist Hanako Montgomery calls for a collective awareness of racism,

Women’s tennis competes at Army Invitational over the weekend,

Women’s soccer shuts out New Hampshire on the road,

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PAGE II Thursday, 3, 2019 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

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Students and community members gather on State Street for a Climate Strike advocating for environmentally conscious policy change.

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The following accounts were provided by Investigator Mark Silverio of Binghamton’s New York State University Police.

She’s got a ticket to ride, I don’t TUESDAY, Sept. 24, 7:52 p.m. — Officers responded to the campus parking garage after a 29-year-old female and a 26-year-old female, both University staff members, were caught committing a theft of services. One of the suspects allowed the other to exit the parking garage using their proximity card permit. The officers were able to find the license plates of the two vehicles and track down the driver of the second vehicle for questioning. She said she does have a garage membership, but her proximity card was not working at the time, so her friend let her out. Ultimately, the case was closed and the woman was directed to Transportation and Parking Services to get a working proximity card.

Car bandit TUESDAY, Sept. 24, 8:34 p.m. — Officers responded to the University Downtown Center (UDC) for a complaint of larceny from a vehicle. A 21-year-old female told officers

that she returned to her vehicle after class and noticed that some of the items in her car had been disheveled, including her center console. She also noticed that $15 was missing from the vehicle. Officers went back to check video footage from the area and found that an unknown male, who appeared to be homeless, had walked through the parking lot, gone through a number of vehicles, including the victim’s, and then proceeded down the riverwalk. The city of Binghamton has reported a rash of recent car break-ins, which officers believe to be committed by the same suspect. The case is currently under investigation, and officers ask that students lock their car doors.

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THURSDAY, Sept. 26, 8:51 a.m. — Officers responded to Windham Hall of Mountainview College after receiving reports of larceny.

When officers arrived at the scene, the Windham Hall residential director stated that her custodial staff had notified her that most of the trash cans from the trash rooms were missing. After reviewing the camera footage of Windham Hall and the surrounding area, officers observed a group of 11 male students between the ages of 18 and 20 years old entering the building on Sept. 21 and taking four trash cans out of the trash rooms. They proceeded to take the trash cans outside to fill them with sand from the nearby Mountainview College volleyball court, and drove off campus. After investigation, officers were able to identify the vehicle and the student who drove the cargo

away. While speaking to officers, the student said that the sand was used at an off-campus house where a luau party was organized. The other students involved were subsequently identified and interviewed. Ultimately, no charges were brought against them; instead, they were told that their actions were “dumb.” The trash cans were returned, and the students will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct.

That’s a lot of fish THURSDAY, Sept. 26, 3:36 p.m. — An officer responded to the Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center (C4) after a 38-year-old male Sodexo employee reported that an 18-year-old female student was observed putting multiple containers of sushi in her bag. When she proceeded to check out, she only paid for one of the items. Sodexo staff stopped her after she had checked out and confronted her about the items she had not paid for, which she initially denied. Employees then called UPD. Officers found that she had an additional $45 worth of sushi in her bag. Sodexo declined to press charges, but requested that she pay for all of the items she had taken.

Policy aims to preserve neighborhood character zoning from page 1 district in the Binghamton City Council, said constituent concerns about parking are part of the reason he is in support of the changes to the city’s zoning law. Livingston’s district, which stretches from Binghamton’s border with Johnson City to Laurel Avenue on the city’s West Side, has a mix of student renters and more permanent residents, many of which are families.

“When you’ve got a car per student on the street, it creates a bit of a strain in my neighborhood,” Livingston said.

By banning congregate living in areas classified as R-1 or R-2 zones, such as Livingston’s district, the proposed updates would aim to control the number of people living and parking along city streets that officials say were not built to handle the number of students living off campus. The changes would also require landlords or developers building or converting four or five bedroom units to provide “the minimum off-street parking requirement” for residents of the building.

Parking is also a concern in

other areas of the city, such as Binghamton’s fourth district, which encompasses Downtown Binghamton and is represented by council member Conrad Taylor, ‘17. Taylor, who was elected to the Binghamton City Council while attending Binghamton University, said he understands student and landlord concerns about the new restrictions imposed by the zoning changes, but noted that the proposals could help parking in his district, as they would require bicycle parking in off-street lots with more than 10 spaces.

“Most things, I’m supportive of,” Taylor said. “I’ve had a lot of constituents reach out about parking issues and I think this will help to alleviate that, but there are some questions about whether we should be restricting property owners and landlords to require them to have their parking on-site in residential districts. That’s a really big question I still have and haven’t really come to a personal decision on.”

But Hamza Syed, ‘15, who owns nine properties on Binghamton’s West Side, said the changes will greatly impact local

landlords. Although Binghamton currently has a surplus of offcampus student housing, he said the proposed updates could drive rent prices up.

“If a landlord is giving five or six kids a room in a house, he’s charging them enough to make his cap rate that he has to make,” Syed said. “But if he only has four kids, he still has to pay his mortgage, pay utilities and all that, so in order to recoup the price of the full unit, he’s going to have to raise rent prices.”

Syed also dismissed the idea that neighborhood atmosphere could suffer because of student renters.

“A lot of the neighborhoods oftentimes gets better because of the students,” Syed said. “A lot of my neighbors that are families and live around here, they like having students live around here, especially when they have an attentive landlord.”

Still, Livingston worries large, multi-bedroom homes in neighborhoods like his could become an increasingly urgent problem.

“Part of my concern about spinning out houses into multibedrooms is not just about the

character of the neighborhood, but the structure of the building itself,” Livingston said. “A lot of these houses are not built for that. It’s important to provide guidelines so the house doesn’t become a blight on the neighborhood.”

A public hearing on the proposed zoning changes will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at Binghamton City Hall.

Syed plans to be there — and Livingston, Taylor and other elected officials will also be in attendance. Several Binghamton City Council members said whether the proposed zoning changes will pass may depend heavily on comments from the public.

“I think it’s really important that people participate in these things,” Livingston said. “It does change the outcome.”

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NEWS

3

Voter registration increases ahead of election season Campus groups push political engagement Stephen Anku

pipe dream news

With local elections approaching, there has been a recent uptick in student voter registration efforts on Binghamton University’s campus.

Positions up for the Broome County elections in November include a state Supreme Court Justice seat, Broome County district attorney, Endicott mayor, all seats on the Binghamton City Council and Endicott and Johnson City trustee positions.

According to the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) website, the CCE registered more than 2,000 students to vote in 2018 and helped more than 750 students fill out absentee ballot applications, an increase of more than 1,000 students from midterm elections four years prior. As a result of these efforts, BU has been designated as a voterfriendly campus for the 201920 school year. The designation is granted by the Campus Vote Project to universities that have successfully executed their plan to help students register and vote.

The CCE appears to be discontent resting on its laurels, however, and is instead working on getting an even larger portion of the student population informed and prepared to vote by Election Day. The office hosted a National Voter Registration Day event on campus last week, where students could check their registration status, update

rose coshignano photography intern

Binghamton University students vote during the 2018 midterm elections.

their voting address, request absentee ballots and register to vote.

Students are also being encouraged to register to vote as part of the Andrew Goodman

Foundation’s Vote Everywhere program. The Vote Everywhere website aims to increase voting

accessibility and help students on college campuses across the country become more engaged

citizens.

Michael Lin, a junior majoring in computer science, said a lack of time and familiarity with the process were contributing factors for not registering to vote for the upcoming elections, but mostly attributed it to New York’s political landscape.

“I feel like we’re in a very democratic state, and I feel like my vote won’t really do much,” Lin said. “I’m going to make sure I register before the next presidential election, though.”

Katharine Myers, a senior majoring in psychology, said signing up to vote on campus last year was not difficult.

“A student group came to one of my organization’s meetings to give a presentation, and everyone who wanted to sign up was given a registration form and help to fill it out,” Myers said. “The group then took the forms and submitted them for us, so there wasn’t that much that we had to do ourselves and it didn’t really take too much time.”

Myers said she is uncertain about whether or not she will be voting this year.

“I’ve only ever voted in the major presidential elections,” Myers said. “I’ve been trying to be more politically involved, but as of now, I’m not sure whether I’ll participate in this election.”

Students can stop by the CCE office during its operating hours in UU-137 for assistance with registration or to get any questions they might have about the process answered. If they want to vote in the upcoming New York Democratic presidential primary, they have until Friday, Oct. 11 to change their party enrollment.

University to release student survey on effectiveness of tobacco policy tobacco from page 1 is to be a healthy campus that fosters health [and] wellness, safety and sustainability, thereby providing a productive environment for all students, faculty, staff, vendors, volunteers and visitors,” the website reads. “Tobacco use negatively affects the entire community and runs counter to Binghamton University’s goal.”

In order to enforce the policy, individuals are encouraged to spread awareness of the policy to others, should they notice tobacco use on campus. Enforcement and disciplinary action depends on the cooperation of those involved and the severity of the situation, however, no enforcement of the policy is

conducted by Binghamton’s New York State University Police Department (UPD), as the rule does not constitute a legal matter.

The current policy was made effective on Aug. 1, 2017.

At the time, it was planned that a survey would be released two years later to the campus community as an evaluation of the initiative, according to Johann Fiore-Conte, co-chair of the Tobacco-Free Campus Initiative and assistant vice president for health and wellness at BU. “The survey is part of the evaluation strategy for the Tobacco Free Campus Initiative,” Fiore-Conte wrote in an email. ”Results will provide feedback on the impact of the initiative and inform our outreach, programming and support efforts as we move

forward.”

Nora Wilke, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering, said she has noticed less public smoking since the policy was enacted.

“There are still people who smoke on campus near the library, but the number has decreased since the policy took effect,” Wilke said. “[However], I have never seen anyone who was smoking be told to stop.”

Other students, like Alyssa Felberbaum, a junior doublemajoring in biology and anthropology, do not think the current policy works, particularly because of the lack of enforcement.

“People Juul and smoke whenever they want to — no one really enforces it, especially at night,” Felberbaum said.

“But, I think as long as there’s no smoking in public areas

like the Spine and other places where secondhand smoke could be a factor, it’s fine.”

Several students said they would be interested in taking the survey to evaluate the current tobacco policy, including Jake Schweitzer, a junior majoring in biology.

“I would take the survey if it is online, as it is convenient to do so,” Schweitzer said. “[Smoking] is a critical issue today, especially in the health field.”

Still, Felberbaum said she does not think changes to the policy would have a major effect, regardless of potential consequences.

“I think students are going to do whatever they want and there isn’t much the school can do,” she said. “The school could try fining people, but I don’t think there is a point.”

nate platzner video editor Students stand outside Glenn G. Bartle Library to smoke during a study break.

March for Our Lives Anderson’s family, friends testify in Tercero murder trial talks on local elections trial from page 1 Nicaraguan prosecutors said on Tuesday that Tercero left a note next to Anderson’s body that said “I’m sorry” and took a flight from New York to Nicaragua immediately following the murder. Prosecutors said he texted his sister to tell her that he had left the United States. Days after landing in Nicaragua, Tercero was apprehended

by Nicaraguan authorities. Since then, he has been incarcerated at the Directorate of Judicial Assistance, a Nicaraguan prison more commonly referred to as “El Chipote.”

Legal proceedings are being held in Managua, Nicaragua, after Nicaraguan officials denied requests from the United States to extradite the 23-year-old former BU student, who holds dual citizenship. Under currently existing extradition treaty, Nicaragua is not required to extradite Nicaraguan citizens facing charges in the United States.

In Nicaragua, Tercero is being charged with femicide, which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years behind

bars. He is facing a second-degree murder charge in the United States, which carries a possible sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

Anderson’s mother, Karen, was the first witness to speak. In her eightminute testimony, she said Anderson and Tercero met in nursing classes at the University and were in an “on and off” relationship “for maybe a year.”

Josephine Artin, ‘18, Anderson’s former roommate, said Anderson didn’t consider her relationship with Tercero a serious one, and eventually wanted to just be friends, especially since they regularly fought as a couple.

“Orlando has always been obsessive over Haley,” Artin said. “He has always been upset with her over something.”

In September 2017, shortly after breaking up with Tercero, Anderson filed a police report after her tires were slashed outside her West Side student residence. In the report, Anderson told the responding officer that she strongly suspected Tercero damaged her tires. The incident was investigated as criminal mischief

and caused roughly $600 in damage to Anderson’s car, but ultimately, Anderson declined to press charges and told police she would attempt to resolve the matter civilly.

After that incident, Anderson and her friends were wary of Tercero, and when Anderson did not return home, Artin said she and her roommates were concerned about her well-being.

They tracked Anderson’s phone to Tercero’s house, and when nobody answered the door, broke in through a window. As Anderson’s friends and family sobbed, Artin described finding Anderson’s body tucked into Tercero’s bed, with severe bruising on her neck and arms.

“He’s my top suspect,” she said. “I don’t see how it could be someone else.”

The trial will continue on Friday, beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. More witnesses are scheduled to speak, and the Broome County District Attorney’s Office said they will make witnesses available as requested by Nicaraguan prosecutors for the length of the trial.

violence from page 1 elections, is important even at the local level.

“I feel like students, especially those who have not voted in a presidential election before, should have the right tools in learning how to identify candidates who put gun violence prevention as a top priority,” Baez said. “Their votes matter so much more than they think, and I want them to realize that they have the ability to really make a difference.”

Bennett Owens, founder and president of the BU chapter of MFOL and a junior majoring in political science, said the primary purpose of the discussion was to inform students on how they can support the gun violence prevention movement by voting. He reminded the attendees of

upcoming deadlines: Voter registration ends Oct. 11, absentee ballots are due

by Oct. 29, early voting is available from Oct. 26 to Nov. 3 and general election voting is on Nov. 5.

“I believe it’s important to support the gun violence prevention movement because every day, 96 people die from gun violence in this country,” Owens said. “Gun violence is an epidemic in this country and we must act now to end it.”

In attendance was Raquel Pereira, an undeclared sophomore, who said that although she already felt passionate toward the gun violence prevention movement, the meeting provided good information about how to research candidates with like-minded policy concerns.

“I feel like it’s important because kids going to school shouldn’t have to worry about the possibility of being shot — they should only be focused on their learning,” Pereira said.

Julia Saltzman, organizing director for the BU chapter of MFOL and a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, said the national organization encourages civic action and engagement through peaceful methods. Baez said she agreed that there are ways for students to get involved, such as being a member of MFOL. “Thousands of people are affected by gun violence every year,” Baez said. “It’s important to defend all of those who were impacted, and show them that there are people that want to see a change.”

OPINIONS Thursday, 3, 2019 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

Prison reform doesn’t always result in more humane incarceration Closing down prisons like New York’s Rikers Island worsens an already broken carceral system Kate Turrell Contributing Columnist

Recently, the political fight against the expansion of the United States’ prison system has, to an extent, become a bipartisan issue. While liberals have emphasized the social injustices inherent to the U.S. prison system for some time, in recent years I’ve noticed that conservatives have begun to critique the immense costs of maintaining such a large and expanding prison system. As mass incarceration becomes a less politically viable option, many politicians are looking into alternatives.

Unfortunately, these “alternatives” usually do little to actually reduce the number of people incarcerated. In fact, many expand the reach of the American prison system in unprecedented ways.

This issue reached a boiling point in the case of Rikers Island Correctional Facility. Rikers Island, located in New York, is notorious for being one of the most scandal-ridden prisons in the United States; it is well known for cases of sexual assault, physical abuse by correctional officers, use of solitary confinement and a laundry list of other horrible injustices. As such, it is not surprising that many people, on the left and the right, are celebrating the eventual shutdown of the facility.

In the lead-up to the closure, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office has been actively utilizing methods to diminish the daily population of Rikers, including “a reduction

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in low-level crime arrests, refocused law enforcement, the citywide Supervised Release program and expanded diversion programs,” helped by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s “Raise the Age” bill, which ended New York state’s practice of charging all 16- and 17-year-olds as adults.

On the surface, these changes appear cost effective and humane, but sadly, this is not the whole story. As William Martin, a professor of sociology

at Binghamton University, describes, “Raise the Age reforms led to an estimated $500 million in new youth jails, expanded sheriff budgets and the increasing supervision of youth.” Rather than keeping youths out of jail or prison, they are simply being transferred to youth facilities — which doesn’t lower the number of people incarcerated or limit the growth of the prison system.

While many states have also passed prison reform measures,

these policies rarely live up to expectations. As Judah Schept, an associate professor in the School of Justice Studies at Eastern Kentucky University, notes, while most states have passed sentencing reform, it has often merely resulted in moving incarcerated people from state prisons to local jails, usually increasing a state’s overall corrections budgets.

For example, New York City hopes to move the inmates

from Rikers Island into four, more localized jails throughout the city’s boroughs. Similarly, thousands of inmates in California have been moved out of state prisons into county jails, effectively lowering the number of people in state prisons, but doing little to actually minimize the number of incarcerated people. Meanwhile, California’s corrections budget has risen to an unprecedented $10 billion.

Similarly, “supervised release”

may sound like a liberating alternative to incarceration, that is not always the case. In an article from 2014, James Kilgore, a research scholar, discusses how electronic monitoring, usually via an ankle bracelet, has become part of a trend of “repackaging” the prison system in a way that it is palatable to liberals, but that does little to actually reduce its reach. Kilgore notes that electronic monitoring is seen as a cost-effective alternative to incarceration that supposedly gives those who may have otherwise been incarcerated the opportunity to reenter society.

In reality, electronic monitors can cost their wearers $5 to $13 a day — and yes, people usually pay for their own monitors. The monitors often need charging every three to four hours, a factor that can limit mobility and block wearers from participating in an eight-hour work day. As a result, many of those surveilled through electronic monitoring feel so burdened by the logistics of their monitoring that they are effectively under house arrest. This clearly doesn’t allow the kind of freedom for them to reenter society in a meaningful way.

If we really want to make meaningful changes to the American prison system, it is crucial that we don’t fall into a trap of repainting the current system without fixing the broken pieces underneath. Just imagine what New York state might look like if that $500 million was allocated toward helping marginalized communities rather than incarcerating them.

Kate Turrell is a senior double-majoring in sociology and women, gender and sexuality studies.

Addressing systematic racism goes beyond an individual’s actions As a society, we are responsible for constant awareness of our prejudices Hanako Montgomery Contributing Columnist

Last week, a friend of mine who works at one of the call centers on Binghamton University’s campus told me an upsetting story.

Her job is to contact alumni and financial supporters who would be interested in donating money to the University. She was just finishing the scripted spiel of why BU needs the money and where the financial support would go when the man on the other end of the line began to shout. He refused to donate unless his contribution would go

to “a poor student of color.” My friend, aware of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), a program set out “to fulfill New York state’s commitment to providing opportunity and access to higher education for economically disadvantaged students,” and its usefulness in supporting students of color at BU, began explaining its benefits.

The man interrupted her once more, this time to say, “What does a white girl like you know about being poor? About being black in the pursuit of higher education? How would you ever know their struggles?”

My friend is Afro-Latina. The man, who would later apologize on the phone, is white.

The intention of the caller, as my friend so aptly pointed out, was not personal. It was offensive

and racist, because he assumed from her educated-sounding voice that she was white, but he didn’t answer her call to spite her specifically. His response highlights his frustration with BU, a predominantly white institution, asking for donations for what he thinks only benefits the University’s more privileged students. He was upset that he sees no visible effort to accommodate diverse education.

And he was also probably angry with himself, unsure of where to direct his white privilege to help people of color.

Anger can be useful when enacting social change, but directed at the wrong person, it only damages what already feels like a fragile alliance. But we must also ask: Is it justified to vindicate one individual when

racism feels like a problem that concerns us all?

Being aware of one’s privilege is the first step in inclusiveness.

Highlighting our differences allows us to see what rights are being denied in an unbalanced system, and how we can examine ourselves to change inequality.

But, the way in which this man checked his privilege — essentially using a student as a scapegoat to complain about the larger racial injustices that infect the United States — is not going about combating racism in the right way.

Instead, we should be applying our individual experiences to eliminate systematic oppression together. As British philosopher David E. Cooper analyzes, responsibility can transcend the individual to incorporate the

collective. Responsibility can be understood as “you did,” or “I did,” or “they did,” but it can and should also be ascribed to a group or to a country.

In this case, racism, although personal at times, is really a burden we all share. No one person is responsible for how America currently responds to race. Even President Donald Trump, who many liberals identify as a symbolic figurehead of oppression, is not the sole perpetrator of our current political climate. To recall, our head of state proposed the Build the Wall, Enforce the Law Act in 2018, requesting a budget of over $23 billion for the ”U.S. Customs and Border Protection — Procurement, Construction, and Improvements account.” In signing off on this bill, Trump

highlighted a much larger, deeper issue of discontent that plagues the United States: We don’t know how, and are certainly not equipped, to meet the needs of a multiethnic population.

United we stand in our constant pursuit of rights and of freedom, but exactly who those rights and freedoms are for depends on who you’re asking. So, as the reader, are you responsible for saying my Afro-Latina friend sounded too educated to be black? No; those words didn’t leave your mouth.

But are you, as a current resident of the United States, responsible for noticing systematic racism? I argue, yes.

Hanako Montgomery is a senior double-majoring in Asian and Asian American studies and Japanese studies.

Can hookup culture be more harmful than beneficial?

Sexual encounters without an emotional connection can lead many to feel regret Willa Scolari Contributing Columnist

Early in the morning, as I walked back to my dorm in the clothes I wore last night, the phrase “I don’t feel that great about myself” traveled around in my head as I thought about the actions I took the night before.

It was fun in the moment, but as I went about my day, I didn’t hear from them. Even in the

following week, I’m worrying about whether I’m going to see them. After two weeks pass and I hear nothing from them, it’s like that night never happened.

And the worst part is, there was no obligation for any connection after, so they’re technically not in the wrong.

Welcome to hookup culture: a messy and very prevalent part of college life — and, in my experience, one of the worst features about college.

The American Psychological Association (APA) describes hookup culture as one that’s “becoming more engrained in

popular culture, reflecting both evolved sexual predilections and changing social and sexual scripts.

Hookup activities may include a wide range of sexual behaviors, such as kissing, oral sex and penetrative intercourse. However, these encounters often transpire without any promise of — or desire for — a more traditional romantic relationship.” It’s an established fact that there isn’t a concrete promise or obligation for any contact after a hookup, and it’s problematic because not only is there an uneven level of satisfaction and lack of respect, but it is no way to create or

foster a relationship.

The problem begins with how popular hookup culture has become. It’s so much a part of the college lifestyle that it’s at the point where people subconsciously feel forced and pressured to do it because their peers are. Looking back on my experiences, I think about where the respect lies in a hookup.

Where is the respect when you become intimate with someone, and then never hear from them?

How does that make you feel? It makes me feel pretty crappy, and I think it would make you feel crappy, too.

In an online study by APA, out of “1,468 undergraduate students, participants reported a variety of consequences: 27.1 percent felt embarrassed, 24.7 percent reported emotional difficulties, 20.8 percent experienced loss of respect and 10 percent reported difficulties with a steady partner.” And in another recent study involving 200 undergraduates, “78 percent of women and 72 percent of men who had uncommitted sex” of any kind reported that they felt regret as a consequence of that encounter. The reason for this regret is simple: It’s because the

encounter was meaningless and noncommittal. You don’t get to know the person at all and there is no obligation to.

When there is no necessity or promise to keep in contact with a person, the hope of a relationship is lost. I would much rather get to know someone first and have a better feeling after I come home from the night before. While everyone is different and may hook up with someone for different reasons, this regret found across the board is why hookup culture remains problematic.

Willa Scolari is an undeclared sophomore.

De Colores Cookies y Mas blends tradition and creativity Baker Ely Rooney runs shop from her home Gabriela Iacovano

arts & culture editor

For students living on Binghamton’s West Side, a sweeter Saturday morning might be just around the corner.

De Colores Cookies y Mas, a cottage bakery that hosts weekly

pop-up sales, recently opened on 100 Leroy St. Shop owner Ely Rooney and her husband Brian Rooney, a lecturer of biology at Binghamton University, moved to Binghamton last year, originally running the business from Chenango Street. They closed on the Leroy Street house days before Porchfest 2019, which was the new location’s first day of operation.

The shop usually operates on

Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., offering different items each week. Rooney never makes items in bulk, and she attributes the “punch of flavor” in her treats to her commitment to baking small batches. In addition to her decorative cookies, she makes scones, bakery cookies, tarts and savory items like quiches and rolls. While she used to work in upscale Italian and French cuisine, she’s found that she also

has a knack for baking.

“I was always taught that you’re either a baker or a chef, but it turns out I’m both,” she said.

Rooney has been in the food industry for nearly 20 years, studying culinary arts at the Art Institute of Houston and working as an executive souschef in Texas. After getting married in 2010, she moved from Houston to Georgia, where

gabby iacovano arts & culture editor De Colores Cookies y Mas was founded by baker Ely Rooney and her husband, Brian Rooney, a lecturer of biology at Binghamton University.

she started making custom hand-painted cookies for friends and eventually opened an Etsy shop. With four kids, three cats, a dog and a fish to look after, she said she entered the baking business so she could focus more on family life without having to “hang up the apron.”

“Food has always been in our family and has always been a way to express myself,” Rooney said.

“It’s something that has always been there from the beginning and I love it so much more now because of that. There’s a lot of patience you have to have. It’s very time-consuming, but at the same time, it allows me to step away from it for a little bit and be a mom.”

Using both family and original recipes, Rooney offers unique creations like “kaleidoscope cookies” while honoring her Mexican heritage with empanadas, tres leches cake, traditional gingerbread cookies and more.

She said she infuses her Mexican pastries with warm tones by adding ingredients like citrus zest, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, drawing inspiration from tradition while also putting her own spin on recipes she finds. She said she hopes her business brings something unique to the area by offering authentic Mexican food.

“I’m from Texas, which is a big melting pot,” she said. “There are a whole lot of little shops and things that are cultural-friendly toward the Latin community, and you don’t find a lot of that here. It was something I was nostalgic for and that I missed, so I love to offer that to anybody who’s out here and willing to try it. It can be a bit daunting — they can get an empanada with ground beef and olives and cranberries and pecans and they wouldn’t think that’s delicious,

but it is.”

Since moving from Chenango Street to her brightly decorated home on the West Side, Rooney said she has found both a larger base of customers and a greater sense of community. Many of her patrons live within walking distance of the shop, stopping by during Saturday morning strolls.

“There’s been a huge change,” she said. “People always came out there, but now there’s maybe five times more.”

In addition to her pop-up sales, Rooney takes custom orders, caters local events and supplies seasonal decorative cookies for Taste NY and other shops. She said that while custom cookies are not a huge seller in Binghamton, her ventures into other products have allowed her to find a niche.

“I knew we could do our bakery anywhere, and I wanted to serve the community,” she said. “It’s been a dream of ours to be involved in the community in that way and also to kind of provide that southern hospitality — it’s important for me to have that kind of connection with people.”

Rooney said the business allows her to not only hone her creativity and support her family, but also to keep her roots close to heart.

“I wanted to show people that this is part of our culture, and it’s beautiful and full of flavor and there’s a lot of family involved in it as well, and that’s what they get when they come here,” she said. “I think the beauty of having what we have right now is even if we grow, this is how it’s going to be. My family in Texas has a lot of influence in this as well, in the decor and the colors we use and everything.

They are in this business every day because I’m proud of where I come from.”

October’s spooky First Friday: skulls, zombies and more Welcome fall with local galleries, museums Lakhsmi Chatterjee arts & culture intern

It’s finally October, which means spooky season is in full swing. If you’re looking for some artsy fall festivities to prepare you for Halloween, look no further than our monthly First Friday roundup.

This month’s First Friday will take place on Oct. 4 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will include 19 venues in Downtown Binghamton, on the West Side and on the South Side.

Gallery (95 Court St.) The “Twelve Years in Painting” exhibition will show the work of artist Joseph Q. Daily over the course of his 12-year career, dating back to his first forays in plein air painting.

Oct. 4 — Nov. 23 at Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts (186 State St.) The “Play” exhibition will feature the work of A.J. Fries, a Buffalo-based artist. Fries uses toys to call on his viewers to notice their place in the world and bring them back to their childhood innocence.

Sept. 6 — Oct. 4 at The Memory Maker Project (215 State St.) “Beatles [And Other Animals]” will show art by Richard Chupp as part of The Memory Maker Project, which features artwork by local artists living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of memory loss.

Oct. 4 at Atomic Tom’s (196 State St.) The “Rod Serling Exhibit & Teleplay” will be a staged reading of Rod Serling’s original Twilight Zone episode, which was not aired because of its controversial nature. “Songwriters,” co-hosted

by Devinne Meyers and Matthew Cornwell, will also take place before and after the reading of the Twilight Zone episode.

Oct. 3 — Oct. 26 at the Artisan

Oct. 4 at Community Options

FIRST FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS:

Inc. (182-184 State St.) The “Seasonal Skulls” exhibition will feature a selection of pen and ink skulls, fauna and flora by artist Bill Brandenburg.

Oct. 4 — Oct. 26 at Cooperative Gallery 213 (213 State St.) The “Cries and Whispers” exhibition will feature paintings by artists Jean Luongo and Anthony Santuoso.

Oct. 4 — Nov. 29 at the Orazio Salati Studio & Gallery (204 State St.) The “Making an Impression” gallery will feature the work of artist Beth Atkinson, who specializes in relief printmaking in linoleum and woodcut.

Oct. 4 — Oct. 31 at STAP Prevention Services (206 State St.) The “Resilience” exhibition will feature the works of Kristen Nicole, Ayana Gale and Peter M. Mwangi, all local artists of color.

Oct. 4 at the Garland Gallery (116 Washington St.)

The “First Friday Special” exhibition will feature singersongwriter Pat Raube, with 30 percent off everything on the walls.

Oct. 4 at Imagicka (39 Court St.) The “Binghamton Zombie Walk & Nukporfe” will be sponsored and hosted by the Binghamton Zombie Walk with the creator Marianne Bauer and zombie mayor and undertaker William Thorpe. Imagicka will also host the Nukporfe African DanceDrumming Ensemble and James Burns, director of the ensemble and an associate professor of music and Africana studies at Binghamton University.

Oct. 4 at the Phelps Mansion Museum (191 Court St.) The “Halloween Craft Workshops” will feature a reading of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” in the mansion’s library at 6:15 p.m.

Oct. 4 at the American Civic Association (131 Front St.) The “Pakistani Night” event has a $10 admission fee for adults

and a $5 admission fee for children under five. The event will feature music, a traditional Pakistani cooking demonstration presented

by New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and a Street Style Pakistani Fashion Show presented

by Shehnaz Khan and Anthony Bak Buccitelli.

Oct. 4 — Oct. 29 at the Bundy Museum of History and Art (129 Main St., 2nd floor gallery) “To Live for the Revolution: A History of Organizing in Binghamton” will feature an archive of class struggle in Binghamton from the perspective of Kojo Senoo, ‘19.

Oct. 4 — Oct. 26 at the Roberson Museum and Science Center (30 Front St.) The “October Haunts” event will include special guided lantern tours through Roberson Mansion. Guests will be able to hear the stories of the souls who resided there in the past and present.

Oct. 4 at the Trinity Memorial Church (44 Main St.) “Brass Concert!”, a free concert with Southern Tier Brass and Timothy Smith on the organ, will include music from the Renaissance to Dixieland.

Oct. 4 — Oct. 29 at the Bundy Museum of History and Art (129 Main St., 3rd floor gallery) The “Reaching into Darkness: An Exploration of Dark Thoughts” exhibition will feature disturbing imagery, strange dreams, shadows in the night and untold dark thoughts. There will be live music

by Phil McGovern from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Mike Burrell from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Oct. 4 — Oct. 29 at Binghamton Photo (32 Cedar St.) The “Hidden in Plain Sight” exhibition will feature traveling photography from the Preservation League of New York State.

Oct. 4 — Oct. 26 at Marcy Swartz Gallery at Riverside Towers (5 Riverside Drive) “Passionate” will feature set decoration, mixed media, acryilics, oils and other forms of sculptures.

Ruben Santiago-Hudson talks identity, representation talk from page 1 and the thing that intimidates them is my passion for my people and my stories and my necessity to tell them.”

Santiago-Hudson’s remarks were met with widespread applause from the audience.

Santiago-Hudson spoke passionately about his love of theatre and how it has helped him define his own identity.

“To be quite honest with you, I was just another brother that didn’t matter in the world,” Santiago-Hudson said. “All of a sudden, when I got on stage, people would clap, and I felt like I mattered. I matter because of

this art.”

Santiago-Hudson discussed his personal experience, heritage and creative process in a way that spoke to many in attendance. Mayah Wells, a senior majoring in theatre, emphasized the impact of his words.

“Ruben is an amazing man,” Wells said. “The words he speaks are so powerful and so full of advice and humor and stories.

He brings out the talent in you that you never knew you had.”

Having taken a class with Santiago-Hudson over the previous summer, Wells reflected on her one-on-one experience with the playwright and how it

altered her perspective on life.

“The program changed me forever,” she said. “He made me feel so much more confident about myself. I’m learning more about my culture and history as a black woman. Over the summer, almost every day we were crying tears of joy and emotion. All of us left as completely new, reformed people.”

According to Wells, Santiago-Hudson is particularly an inspiration to students of color, having found success in a field that has long ignored the contributions of minorities.

“He showed black people who don’t think they’re good enough that they can be good enough,”

Wells said. “People that rejected them, he shows them that it’s possible to come back and say, ‘Yes, I can do that actually, so thank you for not believing in me because I just showed you that you’re wrong.’”

The discussion was held in conjunction with “not but nothing other: AfricanAmerican Portrayals, 1930s to Today,” an exhibition in the BU Art Museum. After the discussion, a reception was held in the museum where guests and the audience were able to mingle, eat and observe the artwork on display. The exhibition will be on display until Dec. 7.

lucas paterka contributing photographer Tony Award winner and alumnus Ruben Santiago-Hudson, ‘78, discussed the portrayal of minorities in media and the current state of the entertainment industry at the Watters Theater.

F UN

Thursday, 3, 2019 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

Pack a lunch

Annabeth Sloan

Welcome to spooktober

Sudoku

By The Mepham Group

Daniel Eisenhower

Level: 1 2 3 4 Solution to last issue's puzzle

House party

Daniel Eisenhower

© 2019 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

Release Date: Thursday, October 3, 2019

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis Charles Entertainment Cheese

Leaked character

Sarah Teper

Spencer Lubel

ACROSS 1 Collect 6 Stag 10 Diminished gradually, with “off” 14 Lake between the Silver State and Golden State 15 Promise, for one 16 Operation Solomon airline 17 Feature of an American flag purchased with 58-Across?

20 Raina Telgemeier graphic novel about a girl with braces 21 Breeder’s income source 22 Names as a source 25 Fizzy prefix 26 Decryption org.

29 Sidney Lumet film purchased with 58-Across?

34 Regatta racer 36 Paint store selections 37 Ristorante bottle 38 Mandolin kin 39 Loved, with “up” 40 Dasani product 41 Carbon monoxide’s lack 42 Iditarod racer 43 Capital of Ghana 44 Freight vehicle purchased with 58-Across?

47 Coal scuttle 48 “I have an idea!”

49 Silas of the Continental Congress 51 Deals with freebies 55 Museo Leonardiano city 58 Sales incentive 62 Everyone, in Essen 63 Mideast bigwig 64 Mill input 65 “All in the Family” producer Norman 66 Donnybrook 67 Church council

DOWN 1 QB’s stat 2 Big mouths 3 Word of disapproval 4 Sega’s hedgehog 5 Band concert guides 6 Cooperstown inst.

7 “Rope-a-dope” boxer 8 Races 9 “CSI” IDs 10 Multi-use workshop tool 11 Elsa and Anna’s snowman pal 12 Medium __ 13 Besides that 18 Mysterious Himalayan 19 Litigious type 23 Yoga instruction 24 Cooked in a skillet 26 Guitar string option 27 King Salman, for one 28 Do something in response to 30 Tease 31 Deadpan comic Hedberg

32 Summer month in South America 33 Annual Santa tracker 35 From now on 40 Alarms 42 More on the ball 45 Miss Muffet fare 46 Outer wall protector 50 Vestibule, e.g.

51 Nonstick kitchen brand

52 Sly trick 53 “Man __ Mancha” 54 Frozen Four game 56 Invent, in a way 57 “That being the case ... ” 59 Brazilian hot spot 60 Old PC monitor 61 Co. with a bouquet in its logo

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

By Jeff Stillman ©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

10/03/19

10/03/19

7

SPORTS

bupipedream.com | October 3, 2019

Women’s tennis team competes at Army Invitational

provided by david johnson

Junior Michelle Eisenberg, along with her sister, senior Samara Eisenberg, won a doubles match at the Army Invitational.

Binghamton freshmen continue strong showings Daniel Metz

contributing writer

Over the course of the threeday, 18-team Army Invitational, the Binghamton women’s tennis team picked up seven total wins in what was a solid effort in the team’s second competition of the season.

In singles, senior Samara Eisenberg won 6-0, 6-4 against Fordham’s freshman Rachelle

Yang before losing in the following round in the “B” bracket. Junior Ashley Granieri won her opening match over Marist senior Jada Tijani before a tough, three-set loss in the round of 16. Sophomore Regina Furer also won her opening singles match, and freshman Julia Gumieniak reached the consolation semifinals in the “E” bracket.

“We’re still losing tough matches and tiebreakers — we need to work on playing important points better,” said Binghamton head coach Libby McGovern. “We

need to make sure we’re playing to our strengths and finding our opponents’ weaknesses, and also get back into the flow of competition.”

In doubles, the Eisenberg sisters, Samara Eisenberg and junior Michelle Eisenberg, defeated opponents from Quinnipiac in their opening match in the “A” class before losing to freshman Avery Aude and sophomore Valeriya Deminova of Fordham in the second round. Freshman Jamie Lau and Granieri, however, won in the opening match of the

“C” class.

McGovern seemed pleased with the group effort in the doubles matches and winning the opening matches, but seemed to think that they need to push harder and get through to later rounds.

Throughout Binghamton’s opening events, several players have put forth strong individual performances.

McGovern noted the performances of two freshman, Lau and Gumieniak, as standouts.

“Both Jamie and Julia have done a very good job — going

from junior to college there’s no easy matches, you have to work hard for every point,” McGovern said. “There are definitely times where the competition is overwhelming, and it mostly gets overwhelming because there’s no breathing room. You’re in a tough match every single time you step out on the court. Junior tennis you can get some freebies.

At the collegiate level, that does not happen.”

The Bearcats’ next event won’t be for another two weeks. During the team’s time off, McGovern said the team will practice a

lot of match play, employing different strategies to close out pivotal moments.

“We’re going to make sure we understand the strategies we’re trying to employ,” McGovern said. “We’ll make sure we know what’s happening within our points so we know what we’re doing wrong and know what to do to be successful.”

The team’s next event is the ITA Northeast Regional hosted

by Army. The event will be held from Thursday, Oct. 17 to Tuesday, Oct. 22 in West Point, New York.

College football week five: winners and losers Justin Zion Sports Editor

The 2019 college football season is getting more and more intense as the College Football Playoff grows closer. Here are the winners and losers from week five: Winner: Justin Fields One of the biggest questions in the Big Ten this season was whether Ohio State’s Justin Fields would be able to fit into the Buckeyes’ offensive system after transferring from Georgia and produce the kind of consistent quarterback play that could lead to another Big Ten Football Championship for the Buckeyes.

Five weeks into the season, the answer is undoubtedly yes. The sophomore has had only 35 incompletions all season — that’s just seven per game. He has 23 total touchdowns on the year and

owns the fifth-best passer rating in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) up to this point. Putting up these numbers against the likes of Florida Atlantic and Miami (OH) is one thing; doing so at Nebraska isn’t as simple, yet Fields managed to do it in a 41-point thrashing of the Huskers (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) last weekend. Tougher opponents lie down the road, but if Fields continues to shine, Ohio State (50, 2-0 Big Ten) will be on its away to another conference title.

Loser: Clemson Earlier in the season, I wrote about how North Carolina had the potential to ruffle some feathers in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Since then, the Tar Heels lost a couple of winnable games, but that did not stop them from fulfilling predictions when the nation’s top team rolled into Chapel Hill. No. 1 Clemson struggled, losing both the turnover battle and the timeof-possession battle. Sophomore quarterback Trevor Lawrence did not have a great game either,

leading an offense that looked out of sorts the entire contest.

The Tigers did not take their first lead until the fourth quarter, and would have lost the game entirely were it not for a failed two-point conversion by the Tar Heels with under two minutes remaining.

Clemson (5-0, 3-0 ACC) still won, but it wasn’t pretty. And as a result, the Tigers are number one no longer. In the most recent AP Top 25 Poll, Alabama eclipsed them and reclaimed the top spot that it held for most of last year.

And when the Crimson Tide claim the top spot in the AP Poll, they rarely let it go.

Winner: Iowa There has not been a single team in the entire FBS that has gone more under the radar this season than No. 14 Iowa. Yes, you read that correctly — the Hawkeyes (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) have attained 14th place in the AP Poll practically without anybody noticing. At the beginning of the season, many thought that the most formidable challenge to

Wisconsin in the Big Ten West would come from Nebraska, one of Iowa’s biggest rivals. Since then, the Huskers have only spiraled downward, punctuated by the massive home loss to Ohio State this past week. Nebraska now possesses two losses on the season, while Iowa remains undefeated. Clearly, it is Iowa that will be the team in the Big Ten West to pose the biggest threat to Wisconsin this season. Their week-11 meeting is certainly one to look forward to.

Loser: Geoff Collins Things have gone from bad to worse for Georgia Tech and firstyear head coach Geoff Collins.

Starting off the year with a blowout at the hands of Clemson is embarrassing but expected.

Going down to a Football Championship Subdivision team at home in week three of the season, though, is beyond terrible. With that as a backdrop, Georgia Tech traveled to play another non-Power Five school last weekend, and got bashed by

Temple, Collins’ former team. It’s always bad when a coach is beaten by the team that he left behind; it’s worse when his new team is a Group of Five school. Now the Jackets are 1-3 to start the year and have many tough conference matches, along with their annual contest against Georgia, still to come. Not what Collins had in mind for his Georgia Tech debut, I’m sure.

Honorable Mentions: Surprisingly undefeated teams Not much zaniness or weirdness took place in week five, so instead I am going to give a shoutout to three teams who have surprisingly managed to make it this far in the season without

a loss: No. 22 Wake Forest (5-0, 1-0 ACC), Baylor (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) and Minnesota (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten).

None of these teams have had any major success in the past three or four seasons, and no one expected that to change at the start of the season, yet so far, so good for these three programs. I’m not saying that any of them will make any real noise this season, but they definitely have the chance to play spoiler and throw a monkey wrench into the playoff race. All three of these teams play at least one top contender this year, and smart college football fans will circle those games on their calendars and watch for potential upsets.

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WOMEN’S TENNIS

BU travels to Army SEE PAGE 7

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Women’s soccer defeats New Hampshire in shutout

Sophomore goalkeeper Haylee Poltorak recorded four saves in her fifth clean sheet of the season against New Hampshire.

Dibble, Anand score first career goals in victory David Julien

contributing writer

After a strong performance against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, the Binghamton women’s soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to five and remains undefeated in conference play.

Behind a defensive shutout and unexpected individual offensive performances, the Bearcats (82-1, 2-0 America East) posted a 2-0 victory over the Wildcats (55, 1-1 AE).

“Honestly, it just feels good to get the win and get the three points,” said Binghamton head

coach Neel Bhattacharjee. “It all came down to what we did this week and our preparation.

I feel like our coaching staff did a really good job in terms of our prep and it led us to our result today.”

Playing just 16 minutes in her third appearance of the season, junior midfielder Sarah Dibble netted her first career goal and an assist to secure Binghamton’s victory. This victory keeps Binghamton atop the AE standings and marks the first time that the Bearcats have been able to earn a result against New Hampshire since 2013.

“Our team wasn’t quite as crisp and solid as we normally would be,” Bhattacharjee said.

“We let up some poor turnovers in the midfield that forced us

to transition back quickly and UNH was dangerous in those moments. Sarah Dibble was fantastic. She came on for 15 minutes and she had a great performance during that time.”

For the majority of the first half, the Bearcats had played evenly with the Wildcats, resulting in a scoreless scoreline going into the second half.

However, the Bearcats were able to break out in the second half, scoring a pair of goals in the final 23 minutes of the matchup. In the 68th minute, Dibble, who entered game a mere two minutes prior, drove a through ball delivered by junior midfielder Dora Hayes up the middle of the field and secured Binghamton’s first goal of the game.

Just 13 minutes after this play, Binghamton’s breakout freshman midfielder Olivia McKnight swiftly evaded the UNH defense before crossing the ball into the middle of the box. Dibble was there to intercept the play and delivered a shot that bounced off of the left post. Freshman forward Maya Anand was in position to convert the missed opportunity into an insurance goal. Making her collegiate debut just two weeks ago, Anand has received substantial playing time off the bench in the last three games and was able to net her first career goal on Sunday.

With equally strong defensive efforts, led by sophomore goalkeeper Haylee Poltorak’s four saves, the Bearcats carried

david grinberg contributing photographer

their 2-0 lead until the final whistle, giving Poltorak her fifth shutout of the season.

Binghamton’s success so far in the season sets them above their performance last season, with the team’s eight victories surpassing their win total of seven from last season. This year marks the first time in program history that the Bearcats have opened AE play with a 2-0 record.

Despite the early results in conference play, the Bearcats have arguably the toughest week of their regular season ahead.

The team will face off against the defending conference champions Albany on the road this upcoming Thursday, followed by hosting Stony Brook on Sunday. The Great Danes (53-2, 2-0 AE) and the Seawolves

(7-4-0, 1-0 AE) are the only other remaining unbeaten teams in conference play.

“There a couple of things that we definitely got exposed on today that I know we can be better,” Bhattacharjee said. “We are a good possession team, but today, we really allowed UNH’s pressure to really impact possession and that led to turnovers. We need to protect the center passer, play to our midfield and some things we need to be aware of when we are transitioning to defense. So there are a couple of things that we are gonna have to look at that we can certainly improve on.”

Kickoff against Albany is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3 at Bob Ford Field in Albany, New York.

Men’s tennis hosts weekend tournament to open season Pergel wins flight at first collegiate competition Aidan Higgins

contributing writer

Early flashes of competitive spirit were on full display as the Binghamton men’s tennis team kicked off their season at The Star Group Binghamton Championships. The three-day tournament consisted of roundrobin singles and doubles that featured teams from Buffalo, NJIT, St. Thomas Aquinas, Bucknell and Army at BU’s Lane Tennis Center. The Bearcats picked up a handful of singles and doubles victories, with one of those coming from freshman Dan Pergel, who played well in his Bearcat debut. He defeated Army freshman AJ Woodman in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1.

“I was really pleased with Dan’s performance,” said Binghamton head coach Nick Zieziula. “Not surprising, given the focus and intensity that he’s put into practice … His maturity really came through.”

The Bearcats added a number of new recruits to their roster this season, one of these being Pergel, who hails from Ottawa, Ontario.

Zieziula and his team were looking for specific attributes in this year’s recruiting class to give the Bearcats a competitive edge against other top programs.

Pergel seems to fit the criteria well.

“One of the big characteristics that we were looking for in this year’s recruiting class was work ethic and consistency of focus,” Zieziula said. “You talk to not only Pergel’s coaches, but people around the club where he trained up at Ottawa and everybody had the same things to say in terms of how serious he took things and how much of a worker bee he is. We saw that over the first few weeks of the semester here.”

Another Bearcat who shined in his collegiate debut was freshman Michael Pawlowicz. Also hailing from Ontario, Pawlowicz missed participating in some of the competition because of a personal conflict, but was able to secure a victory in his singles event.

“He’s had a tough go with a couple of fluky things off the court,” Zieziula said. “He’s been such a good sport with dealing with a couple of these bounces that haven’t gone his way. His maturity and overall mentality and seriousness was a big thing we saw in him in the recruiting process. He’s shown the exact same thing since he’s gotten here and I’m really happy for him to be able to get in on Sunday and at least get one singles match in.”

The Bearcats received additional support from junior Alejandro Pena, who made the finals in his singles flight, defeating opponents from NJIT and Army.

The doubles pairings consisted of sophomore Dylan Friedman and senior Tiago Lourenco, along

with senior Kushaan Nath and Pena, who won three out of their four respective matches over the weekend.

Throughout the event, the Bearcats exhibited a solid showing that may give them positive momentum for upcoming matches. Overall, Zieziula seemed pleased with how the team battled

on the court.

“The recap conversation with the guys was very positive,” Zieziula said. “We’re very happy with the main things we’ve been focused on in practice, [it] really came through on the weekend.”

With the season just underway, the Bearcats have much to improve upon as the season progresses, but

the team’s competitive mentality and attitude are attributes they are looking to collectively maintain in the future.

“We’ve got a lot to work on — it’s very early in the year,” Zieziula said. “The big thing was our competitive spirit, our attitude, our problem solving where the wheels were going all the way

through to the last point whether we won or lost. We didn’t let the score impact us.”

The team will return in a few weeks to compete at the ITA Northeast Regional hosted by the University of Pennsylvania.

The event will take place from Thursday, Oct. 17 to Monday, Oct. 21 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

provided by john hartrick Freshman Dan Pergel dominated three matches in his collegiate debut to win his singles flight at Binghamton’s home tournament.